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Friday, February 22, 2013

Different Approaches

Years of work in the wine business taught me that people are like snowflakes. Some are just plain flakes, but no two palates are alike. Rarely does a reminder of this difference present itself so immediately as a page from a magazine I saw recently.

Louisville Magazine's February issue has some feedback from staffers responding to a classic question: "What is your idea of the perfect meal paired with the perfect wine?" Responses hit just about every angle.

The Predictable: "...a medium-rare filet mignon...with a glass of Cab."

The Laissez Faire: "...whatever somebody else chose for me. The deciding is the hardest part."

The Foodie: "I'm thinking about a big bowl of crab chowder with bacon, potato, corn, celery and onion pieces and loads of lump crab, alongside an iceberg-lettuce wedge with blue-cheese dressing and a frisky Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc."

The Unusual: "I would have to say a Tempranillo with blue cheese and truffle honey."

[Note: this wine geek - I endeavor to not be a snob - finds that pairing to be horrific...but, the contributor and I agree about the approach, drink what you love.]

and, my favorite, The Hilarious: "At this one party in college, in a frat house basement, I remember a group of ladies drinking Franzia. I can't recall the vintage but do remember they'd ripped open the box and removed the five liter plastic bladder of Chardonnay. They drank directly from the spigot. They called this game 'slap the bag.' I tried some. Still don't have any pairing suggestions. Condoms?"